Old Love, Dirty Trick, New Romance Starting Again
by Reba-Brockfan
Summary: Tragedy brings Paige Matheson back home to Knots Landing when she returns with her son for Greg Sumner's funeral. What surprises are in store for her there?


_Dear Readers-_  
><em>Welcome to my latest story! This is my first Knots Landing story. It is a standalone story. I'm not sure if it's going to be a one-shot or not. Knots Landing was one of my favorite shows on TV. It doesn't have any fanfiction stories published on FF. I think that it deserves one. This story came to mind this morning. I got this idea thanks to NJ Borba. Thanks for letting me take your idea and run with it!<em>

_Thanks for continuing to read my stories and letting me know that you still want to read more chapters. Keep leaving me comments and reviews. I love reading them. Your reviews make me smile. It keeps me writing. Here it goes…_

**Title: Old Love, Dirty Trick, New Romance-Starting Again**

**Episode 1: The Reunion **

**Characters I don't own: Marion Patrick "Mack" MacKenzie, Karen Cooper Fairgate Mackenzie, Paige Matheson, Anne Winston Matheson Sumner, Claudia Sumner Whittaker, Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner, Greg Sumner, Carlos**

**Characters I do own: Patrick Matheson and anyone not a part of the Knots Landing cast**

**Read, Review, Subscribe, Add to favs**

**Now on with the story- **

I don't own the TV show of Knots Landing. I also don't own any of the characters in this story from Knots Landing. They belong to the writers of the Knots Landing TV show. I also do not owe the rights to any of the songs and lyrics that I use in this story. Those are the property of the artists involved. I also do not owe the rights to any television show or movie reference that I use in this story. Those are the property of the Hollywood creative teams involved in their production. I will be changing some release/airing dates of the titles used to fit in with the story.

This story takes place in the fall of 1999. I know that it's weird because season fourteen ended in May 1993, but the miniseries was in 1997 and this story takes place two years after the miniseries.

This chapter will consist of scenes that will be in regular font, not italicized font. I use the italicized font to distinguish between author's notes and regular scenes. I use bold font when things need special emphasis.

Previously- There is no previous installment of this story because this is the beginning of the story.

Summary: Tragedy brings Paige Matheson and her son back to Knots Landing when she hears the news that Greg Sumner has died. She hasn't seen her family or friends in two years. She brings a surprise for them. What surprises are in story for her when she returns?

How will this story begin? What will happen? How will Paige react to seeing her family again? How will she react to the news of Greg's death? How will Anne react to seeing her daughter again? What is Mack's reaction to all of this?

What happens next? Stay tuned to find out! Keep reading to find out more!

_Author's note- Note to readers: This chapter will deal with how these characters reunite. This chapter will begin to set up who, why, when, where, and how of the story. The first thing is establishing the relationships and history._

_Here are some things to remember as you read this story: _

_You have to be very careful sometimes when reading details because new chapters will refer back to previous chapters in my stories. I like making lots of twists and turns in my writing to keep people guessing._

_If you need to catch up on any details from Knots Landing, please feel free to watch the Knots Landing recap on the YouTube website. It is still available. You can find it at: http:/www. youtube. com/watch?v=SEFId42UrZA. As usual, please cut and paste the address in without the spaces._

_Here are the characters: _

_Paige Matheson: daughter of Anne and Mack, stepdaughter of Karen, former girlfriend of Greg, mother of Patrick_

_Patrick Matheson: son of Paige and Greg, grandson of Mack and Anne_

_Greg Sumner: brother of Claudia, ex-husband of Abby and Anne, ex-best friend of Mack, ex-boyfriend of Paige_

_Mack MacKenzie: husband of Karen, father of Paige, ex-best friend of Greg, ex-boyfriend of Anne_

_Karen MacKenzie: wife of Mack, step-mother of Paige, ex-sister-in-law of Abby_

_Anne Matheson: ex-girlfriend of Mack, mother of Paige, ex-wife of Greg_

_Abby Ewing: ex-sister-in-law of Karen, ex-wife of Greg_

_Claudia Whittaker: sister of Greg_

_Carlos: employee of Greg, works at the ranch_

_I love the reviews that have been sent on my other stories. Thank you! _

The answers to the questions above will be revealed as you read the story. Here is Old Love, Dirty Trick, New Romance-Starting Again!

Now on with our story-

The lights were low in the cabin and nearly everyone around her on the plane was sleeping, even her own traveling companion slept quietly beside her. She had tried to close her own eyes and get some rest, about a million times in fact. Unfortunately the silence was not helping her nerves at all; making them worse was more like it. All her thoughts had an opportunity to gang up on her. So many emotions were welling up inside her, grief, anger and fear to name just a few.

Memories came flooding back to her of the place she had called home for longer than anywhere else in her life. Growing up had meant a lot of moving around, but California had finally brought her a father; a family even. The past two years had been both the best and worst of her life. And being away from some of her closest loved ones had not been easy at all.

Though she would never trade the newest man in her life for anything, she couldn't help but think about the man she had left behind, the one her new life had cost her. So many regrets plagued her now, could've's and should've's that just weren't options any longer. The memory of that day nearly two years past was as clear in her mind now as it had been while living it. Her eyes had pleaded with him, silently begging him to give in to her wants. Sometimes she wished she had been strong enough to tell him the real reason for her leaving. And all those times she had wanted to go back, to run to him again… now she would never have that second chance.

Dead

The word still stuck in her head, weighed heavily on her heart. Her father's message had been a surprise, the news hitting her harder than she ever would have expected. She always knew that all the running around she had done over the last few years would eventually come to an end of some sort, and that she would have to face it all again. She had just never imagined it would come because of his end.

The lights started to slowly come on around her breaking her train of thought as people began to shift and awaken around her. She knew what it meant and it scared her more than anything had in a very long time. Facing her past and those she had left behind was not something she looked forward to, but it was something she knew she had to do.

"We'll be landing in about twenty minutes Miss," the young female airline attendant informed her as she made her way through the cabin picking up some last remaining service items.

"Thank you," she replied, sitting up a bit straighter in her seat. She glanced over to her still sleeping companion and ran her left hand gently over his cheek. He would be the one most likely to lose in the following ordeal. The fact that she had kept him from those he had a right to know, especially the one he would never get a chance to know now… it all served to make her feel even worse than she already did.

"No more running though," she whispered softly, sort of as a way to convince herself that what she was doing was right. "No more running," she repeated as she managed to bring a smile to her face upon seeing her companion open his sleepy eyes. "For you," she concluded, reaching for her bag and silently vowing not to back out this time around.

The birds chirped happily in the old oak grove on the southern most stretch of land. The ranch was calm; a warm summer breeze blew across the valley and gently rocked the leaves on the trees. The sun shone brightly, oblivious as to the day's somber mood, but dark clouds loomed low just over the horizon. Their ominous presence threatened to reveal the truth of the day.

Mack shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the front of the small group who had gathered to pay their respects. His wife's hand rested gently on his shoulder in an attempt to steady his uneasy mood. A sigh escaped his lips as his own hand came to join his wife's. It was a release of breath that he didn't realized he had been holding in.

His mind drifted off to thoughts of just two years ago when he had been worried about his daughter, her abrupt departure. He had imagined it would all blow over and that she would return in only a few days time ready to do battle with the man he had once called a friend, and whom she loved. There had been no return though, not after days… not even after months. In fact, very little in the way of communication had even transpired between them in the longest two years of his life.

Though he had hated having to be the one to deliver the current news, in the back of his mind he had hoped it would get her to resurface. As of yet though, he hadn't even heard back from her. And so he sat and listened to the few people who got up to speak on the man's behalf whom they had all gathered for.

It was awkward, to say the least. Knowing it was not polite to think ill of the dead but also wishing the guy hadn't made his little girl's life so miserable. The priest spoke up again, asking if there was anyone else who would like to say a few words. He doubted there would be, the only ones who had spoken thus far had been two of his ex-wives and his sister. All three were undoubtedly hoping for a mention in the man's will.

As the priest was about to conclude the ceremony though, a few whispered voices could be heard from behind. Slowly the whispers began to rise in volume until it was clear that something was going on. Mack looked up to the priest and then over to his left where Anne, Abby and Claudia all sat just far enough from one another so as not to claw at each other. His eyes slowly followed all their gazes toward the back row of chairs that had been set up. Shock and relief flooded over him. Though he actually was surprised she had shown up, he couldn't help but feel happy upon seeing her again.

Her hair was a bit longer, it draped over her right shoulder. A soft blue pants suit adorned her frame, very much the picture he remembered her as. But her eyes were dark, clouded over with what could only be interpreted as sadness mixed with regret. It bothered him more than he cared to admit that she had regrets regarding a man who, in his mind, had never treated her properly.

Appearances and emotions aside, there was one thing that stood out from all other aspects of her return, she was not alone. In her arms she held a small child, not much more than a year old he imagined. His legs dangled just past her waist and his head rested on her left shoulder, eyes closed, oblivious to the goings on of the moment. The downy blond hair pegged him as hers in an instant; the broad face and strong chin were all Mack needed to see to know who the boy's father was. Suddenly her disappearance made all the sense in the world.

The priest finished up without much notice being paid attention to him. The other's gathered started to disperse despite wanting to know more about the young woman's return and the child she held close. Abby couldn't help but make a jab at her former nemesis about trying to outdo them all in the end, accusing her of renting the child to garner sympathy and try to take Greg's money. Karen quickly silenced her former sister-in-law and sent her on her way.

Anne had a brief moment with her daughter but could tell she wouldn't get much in the way of answers and so she too soon took her leave of the entire scene. In the end only Mack, Karen, Paige and the boy were left, as well as Greg's loyal servant Carlos who watched from a distance as the family reunited.

Mack didn't care so much why she had left or even not telling him about her return, at least not at the moment. All he wanted to do was hug her and so he did, angling around the small child as much as possible. "I missed you kiddo," he spoke the first words and kissed her on the forehead, breaking the tense silence that had fallen.

Karen also reached out to hug her and was grateful the gesture was reciprocated; at least the best one could with a child in their arms. "We both have missed you," she honestly informed the younger woman, a genuine smile on her face.

"I missed you too," Paige was finally able to release the words, as the butterflies in her stomach still tossed and turned. Both Karen and Mack stood before her, calm and patient. She could tell that they were waiting for further introduction. She smiled awkwardly and glanced down at the sleeping boy before speaking up again.

"This is Patrick, my son," she informed them, pride clear in her tone of voice as one hand unconsciously stroked the boy's soft hair. Mack's heart swelled and a tear formed in his eye upon hearing the boy's name. It meant a great deal to him that she would honor him in such a way as to name her son after him. Paige cocked her head slightly to look at the boy, a smile lighting her face. "Sorry, he's much more fun when he's awake," she explained. "It was a long flight though."

"Oh, of course," Karen piped up. "I'm sure you must be tired too, with the flight and all," she danced around the issue of the real reason they were all gathered. There was still a lot of tension in the air and no one had actually come out and mentioned Greg's name or the fact that it was the most likely reason for her return.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Mack asked. What he really wanted to know was if she planned to stay, at least for longer than a few days.

"I really hadn't thought about it actually," Paige replied. "I left so suddenly that I didn't make any real plans," she concluded, feeling slightly awkward about the situation. She loved Mack and Karen and knew they would offer for her to stay with them, somehow though she didn't feel up to it. She knew they meant well but both were prone to prying and she wasn't in the mood to bare her soul at the moment.

As if in answer to her silent anxiety, Carlos made a move toward the group and spoke up. "Miss Matheson, I'm sorry to have over heard but perhaps I could offer you a solution," he intoned. "The ranch is rather quiet and I would welcome you to stay here, at least for this evening," he made his offer known and waited patiently for a response.

A grateful smile crossed her features and she nodded in the man's direction. "Thank you Carlos, I think I'd like that," she informed him. Quickly acknowledging her father and Karen's look of disappointment, she tried her best to placate them both. "I really would like to be alone tonight, but I promise I'll be by tomorrow," she assured them, knowing they were worried that they might not ever see her again.

Mack nodded, knowing she was unlikely to change her mind. He wanted her close but realized that wasn't going to happen right off the bat. It would take them all time to get comfortable around one another again. He just hoped that she would stay around long enough for that to happen, long enough for him to get to know the grandson he had just discovered.

Karen followed Mack's lead and didn't protest the young woman's decision to stay at the ranch. She hugged Paige again and then stood off to the side, allowing Mack to say good bye. She watched him as he struggled to be supportive of his daughter's wish to remain at the ranch and his even stronger desire to pick her up and drag her back to their house with him. In the end he abided by Paige's decision and they walked off the grounds together, leaving her behind to figure out her next move.

The house was eerily quiet, leaving her very much alone with her thoughts. Carlos had set up a room for her son and after a quick meal the boy had fallen asleep again. There was a room for her as well but even as tired as she was, sleep was still the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. Instead, she now sat upon the sofa in the main living area staring up at the painting she had bought for Greg all those years ago.

After roaming aimlessly around the large house and grounds several times, she was starting to think she had made a grave mistake by deciding to stay there. Everywhere she looked there were memories of times spent with Greg and it only served to confuse her further. It wasn't suppose to effect her the way it had, being here… coming back. Yet, for all the pain he had caused her, she realized she still loved him… that she had never stopped loving him.

"D-n you Greg Sumner," she whispered, as she brought her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly. A large clap of thunder rang out as the words escaped her lips and she could hear the rain begin to fall. There was a fire slowly dying down in the fireplace affront her and a shiver passed over her as she watched the flames flick out. "D-n you," she sighed again.

"You really shouldn't speak ill of the dead, it's not nice," a voice carried to her ears, causing her to jump slightly. She hadn't heard anyone approach and was certain Carlos had already gone to bed. She had insisted in fact, for he had been hovering more than she thought that Karen would have had she gone to stay at the MacKenzie's.

She turned around slowly only to come face to face with a ghost. He stood tall behind her, his hands resting on the back of the sofa. A worried yet, amused look came over him as he regarded her shocked expression. Her eyes snapped shut and she forced them to remain closed for several long seconds before reopening them, hoping that her tired brain was merely playing tricks on her.

"This ain't a dream babe," he spoke up again, a wry smile encompassing his features now.

"Then it's a nightmare," her reply came, not sure why she was actually speaking to the figment of her imagination. She released her legs and allowed her feet to touch down upon the floor, but wasn't sure if she wanted to try and stand or not.

His smile broadened as he watched her and listened to her words. "Let me make this simple for you. You're not sleeping and I'm not dead," he declared as if it all was a big joke to him.

With hesitance, she finally managed to stand and then proceeded to take the few short steps required to join him on the other side of the sofa. A couple of seconds passed before her hand darted outward and pinched him hard on his left arm.

"Ouch!" he shouted. "What the hell was that for?" his question sat for a moment as he rubbed his arm. "Don't you know you're supposed to pinch yourself when you think you're dreaming?" Another attempt to lighten the mood slipped past his lips, but it was clear she was not the least bit amused by his antics.

All she could do was stand there for minutes, trying to somehow comprehend what was taking place. Even he could not to be so cruel, she thought. But there was no other possible explanation, except perhaps that she was going crazy, and though she hadn't slept in about 24 hours that just wasn't an option. Her voice quickly returned, "You son of a bit…" she was cut off when his right index finger came to rest upon her half parted lips.

His head cocked a little to the right and he smiled again as he noticed the familiar fury in her eyes grow. He had missed her spunky attitude, but he did feel a tad bad about what he had just put her through. Slowly he removed his finger from her lips and tried to wipe the smirk off his face.

"I should do a lot more than pinch you for what you've done," she shouted, backing away from him slightly. The shock of the situation coupled with her already overly tired state, was all beginning to wear on her. But despite all that, she stood her ground. With feet planted firmly on the floor she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to crumble under her scrutinizing gaze.

"You know, I could certainly think of more creative outlets for all of that pent up emotion you've got going on," Greg spoke up, knowing exactly what she was trying to achieve. He was not about to let her have her way on this one, not after all the trouble he had gone through to get her back.

"You are unbelievable," she finally gave up and uncrossed her arms. "I'm going to bed!" she declared.

"Sounds like a good plan," he didn't miss a beat with his reply and made a move toward her.

"Alone," she clarified, noticing the smile on his face disappear as she did so. "And first thing in the morning, Patrick and I are out of here," she concluded as she finally turned away from him and marched off down the hall.

Greg absently rubbed his arm again where she had pinched him earlier. "Why do I get the feeling she's not so happy to see me?" he mused to himself as he took a seat on the sofa and watched as the last flames of the fire died out. He wasn't too worried though. The most important thing was that he had gotten her back to town… that was the biggest step for the moment. He'd figure out the rest of his plan after a good night's rest.

What a cliffhanger! Greg, who everyone thinks is dead, is actually alive and well. What will Mack have to say about that? What is Greg's plan to win Paige back? Paige spent two years running from her relationship with Greg. What will she do when morning comes? Greg made it clear to Paige that he never wanted children. What will Greg's reaction be when he meets his son, Patrick? What will Claudia, Abby, and Anne do when they find out that they won't be getting an inheritance? Will Greg buy them off to make them go away?

To be continued? Maybe ….

What happens next? Stay tuned to find out! Remember, this may or may not be a one-shot. I want to see how much reader support I get in reaction to this story. I'm just not sure because writing Believe in Love Again takes up a lot of my time already. If I did continue this story, it would be in small chapters.

**Thanks for the reviews, make sure you review this story and give me your thoughts and comments….**

If anyone has any suggestions on them I'd love to hear! Review or Send me a P.M with your suggestions! Please feel free to make any comments that you wish. I may just decide to include it in the stories. If I do include one of your suggestions, then I will give you full credit.

I want to express my special thanks to the following people who have given me valuable support. These are the wonderful readers who have added me to their author alerts.

**FakeCubicZirconium**

**Janie Dear**

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**Reba the country queen**

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**Oh. belledejour**

_I thank all my readers for your continued support. Your support really keeps me writing! Without you, my stories wouldn't be continued every week._


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